Battlegroup Berlin'45 AAR and Scenario for three players.

A game of three halves.

Scenario.

This time I created a scenario aimed at something different - giving three players a good game -because games involving three often don't work well.

It was inspired from learning how Stalin would often incentivise his Army commanders to reach objectives ahead of their "comrades", often to the detriment of the soldiers involved.

The two Soviet players would be on the same side but in competition with each other to gain objectives. The third player would be me, as the German, trying to thwart them. We used the Urban Assault Scenario in Wacht Am Rhein as a base.

Each soviet player would get one D6 reinforcements per turn from turn 2. German 1D6 reinforcements begin on turn 3.

We would be playing a 15mm Company sized game which we had all day to play.

I printed out the army lists (see below for links) and handed them their Scenario Briefing...

Comrade!You are tasked with capturing the three objectives in the town for the glory of the Division!Stalin will only reward the first Division to do so.We must seize them before our “friends” in the other Division can…however the village is defended by a sizeable infantry force.You have artillery at your disposal, plot its attack now.Avoid the church as it is clearly marked as a Hospital.German reinforcements are to be expected.Good luck!

Army Lists

Victory Conditions-

Soviets - Capture and hold all three objectives for instant win or be in control of more than your Soviet ally when the Germans rout.
Germans - Reduce both enemy forces BR to zero.

Initial Deployment

Germans deployed centrally, Soviet Player 2 forces arrive on left table edge, Soviet Player 1 on the right. Player 1 wins the toss and goes first after both Soviets note down when and where they want their 122mm Artillery strikes. This is kept secret.

A reinforced Volksturm Platoon and a Volksgrenadier Platoon were deployed in the central town. The German force spent a lot of points on fortifying the central objective (pictured), adding mines and barbed wire here and there and also building two tunnels linking to an underground command bunker in the basement; more about those tunnels later....

Plucky Volksturm await the enemy. I chose an infantry-heavy force to be initial defenders with a mobile armoured reserve appearing later to annoy the enemy players. What the Germans lack in quality they make up for in Panzerfausts.

The outskirts only lightly held by a foot patrols.

Turn 1 - Russians steal a march.

Initial Soviet deployment was 2d6 units and Soviet Player 1 rolls really well, gets his infantry platoon on and opens fire on scout MG team in the nearest building.

First pinned, then destroyed, my MG team dies in the "Red House". First blood to the Soviets.

On the other flank, Soviet Player 2 also rolls well for his forces, orders an "URA!" and wipes out my scout unit before it can react.

Three IS2 in support on the table edge had pinned the hapless Germans with heavy MG fire...

Hidden in the town is my lone unit that was on Ambush fire (yes i rolled a one on a D6), however, it happens to be my only armoured unit on the table. Boom, two shots hit the nearest IS-2.

The thick armour bounces the first shot but I get lucky and blow off a track!

Unfortunately, the return fire was rather more effective. Three units down.

German turn, despite getting 10 orders theres little i can do so troops get put on ambush fire and I call in mortars and luckily wipe out Soviet Player 1's command unit for his infantry. This seriously damages his options.

Turn 2 - Breathe Deeply, Vassily.

Soviet Player 1 is reinforced by his T34s sporting bedspring armour. He places them in a position to provide covering fire.

They begin pinning German units on the outskirts. The first Soviet objective is the "White House" in the middle of the picture.

Soviet Player 1 occupies the Red House, the three squads that occupy it pour constant and effective fire onto the White House objective for turn after turn - forcing the Germans to commit squad after squad to ts defence.

He then moves up some serious firepower behind the "Red House" to pour HE into the town.

Under all this covering fire, Soviet Player 1 can move his Assault engineers (on the right) up to a forward position but, later in the turn, the Volksturm bravely throw off their pin to halt them with firepower (after a rather threatening Radio message from the command bunker!)..

Soviet Player 2 moves up his sniper team to the outskirts to provide cover for his infantry platoon just before they flood the town square ahead of its armour support. These snipers clear the other side of the square, pinning two enemy squads with their accurate fire. Then,with perfect timing, his pre-registered artillery arrives at the pre-registered target.

Cripes! Most of the German troops in the middle stronghold and objective two (the roofless building above the building with the grey roof) become pinned or dead.

Soviet Player one masses his infantry in the square under cover of the barrages, supported by tanks, ready to "URA!"objective one on his next turn as it is pinned. Perfect tactics. However, he had failed to spot a lone scout MG team in the building at the top of this picture. Ambush! The infantry is decimated - one squad pinned with six casualties. The other squad was caught by mortars later in the turn.

Turn 3 - "They couldn't hit a barn door from there..."

Soviet Player 2's revenge exacted upon my MG team in the building. Lets just say 122mm hurts.

My luck changes as I roll maximum reserves deployed. My Veteran SS Platoon arrives in trucks with a Tiger and a Panzer IV. I randomised their entry point and deployed in the center with options to attack Soviet Player 1 or Soviet Player2 - I chose both!

Panzerschrek to the face. Ouch, Soviet Player 2 loses a tank, failing to have left any infantry support with his tanks or units on Ambush fire. SS troops leap from their vehicles and into action.

Following SS infantry swarm out of their transports and move to assault the tanks with Panzerfausts. Command squad leading the way..

Command squad move up using smoke from the burning tank as cover.

Simultaneously, on the other flank, the rest of the platoon dismount and attack toward Soviet Player 1, covered by the Tiger.

Kaboom! Tiger claims a kill. The destroyed IS2 was also the commander of Soviet Player 2's force. Two chits. Under this fire, my SS platoon dash forward in the hope of some tank hunting at close quarters.

Surprise on my side, no enemy units on Ambush fire, I get to point blank range and hit with a Panzerfaust to side armour! And roll a three on two D6! Captain Picard sums it up best...

Nevertheless...Advantage Axis!

A chit bounces back at me and the Panzerschrek suffers supply issues! However, a one is rolled meaning no effect...a lucky escape.

Turn 4 - "(Panzer)Shrek 5" the Movie.

Soviet player 1 occupies the Red House and brings two more buildings under heavy HE fire, pinning and causing casualties.

The Platoon commander's T34 reverses to get a bead with his MG but fails to pin the infantry.

Soviet player 2 brings on Supply vehicles and other reserves, resupplies and unleashes 122mm hell.

True to form, I lose my Tiger on the table edge as usual. Ouch.

Heavy direct HE fire begins blasting the Volksturm in the town.

Could'a been a lot worse!

German turn and the Panzerschrek team find the reserve stash of ammo and let loose, torching another T34!

and the SS command squad despatch the final T34, taking advantage of Soviet Player 2's continued lack of orders. ompare this last turn with my last game!

Turn 5

Soviet player 1 continues to pound the town, causing pins and casualties. He is hampered by a only 5 orders (a trait that plagued him for most of the game).

Soviet player 2 , despite losing lots of men crossing the square, assault the first objective. Having already pinned the Volksturm within, the melee is swift and violent. The Germans lose a unit and an objective!

German turn. Since turn one, I had been using orders to move my two SS Hitler Youth squads through tunnels that led from the command bunker to a farm near the table edge of Soviet Player 2. On this turn they broke cover and luckily hit two IS2's right up their exhaust pipes.

Turn 6 - If in doubt, liberally apply High Explosive.

The Soviet turn begins with a clear escalation in force to seize their first objective (the white house with the red windows above). Without warning, the center of town erupts in huge explosions as Soviet Player 1's pre-arranged 122mm battery strike lands on the German strongpoint (large structure on left of frame). However he then rolls just three orders! As his Senior Officer is now here though he can re-roll a d6. So he re-rolls the "one" to get ANOTHER "one". Oh boy.

Most units are pinned and casualties are mount.

The way is clear to assault the first objective, defended by Volksturm.

Soviet player 1 moves an ISU152 into town to blast his objective (building with red window). Two Volksturm squads have died to a man here already in its defence.

Infantry creep up ready to exploit the firepower of the Russian beast.

Ar this point most of the Germans are pinned, but enough raise their heads above the sandbags to wipe out Soviet Player 1's expensive Assault engineers as they approach. to rub it in, it was with a WW1 vintage MG08.

Not to be outdone, on the German turn, a shell lands. No ordinary shell. A whopping Railway gun shell. And it lands on its pre-registered target point, the manor house. Currently the only target in the zone was Soviet Player 2's platoon command, cowering here since the MG ambush in turn 2.

So he takes the full blast.

The building is vaporised, as is his staff, but he survives!!!!
As the smoke cleared he could be seen smoking his pipe, leaning on an old chimney. With no trousers. We imagine that he was too shell shocked to influence the game further (last man rule).

German Volksgrenadiers assault Soviet Player 1's objective and a fierce two-round melee begins.

Turn 7 - Where there's a will...

Soviet player one is near paralysed with just three orders again. Soviet player two has similar problems.The melee continues fiercely as control of the first objective is contested. Its shovels and helmets as casualties in this building exceed 30 by now.

The Germans move the Panzer IV into town because IS2 shells have come too close too many times. It moves to support the White House objective which is under heavy fire at all times.

At this point, my son mentioned that my Panzer IV model has never done anything significant in the last eight games. I agree. Lets see him try playing Berlin games as Germans! I then fire at the ISU152, hit it and fail to pen.

Turn 8 - Iron Cross

Soviet player 1 gets three orders again so fires on objective White House with all he has got. He reduces the Volksturm squad to two men who must test morale. They pass and get so inspired that they get a free turn.and fire their last Panzerfaust at the troublesome ISU152 and detonate its magazine! Gotta love these rules. Iron cross earned!

Objective one is now back in German hands. Seriously damaging chits for the Soviet Player 2.

Soviet Player 1 needs to box clever. lack of infantry (down to one squad plus supports) and a low BR means he has to blast the objective clean before assaulting again. So begins a horrific display of Soviet firepower with 122 HE, Anti tank rifles (proving deadly v infantry), sniper fire and 203mm direct fire HE. All at objective one.

Sure enough, objective one is wiped clean.

The SS troops move to reinforce the central stronghold as casualties have been heavy for the Germans, draining men in retaking objective 1 and reinforcing the troops shot up in objective White House.

Again the Germans call in mortars as they have in every turn to deadly effect.

Bugger, there goes the mortar support. This is a telling blow!

Turn 9 - Every Chit counts!

Soviet player 1 gets an unheard of six orders! His tactic of overwhelming firepower continues to denude German forces. (note the Zis3 76mm and ISU152 in the background)

At objective one, another beyond the call of duty test means the Germans can send the remains of a squad to occupy the objective. Another chit.

Turn 10 - For the Fatherland!

Soviet player one had just got 4 orders so fired as usual. The hero Volksturm in The White House die after passing three saves! All troops nearby are now pinned except the tank. Tense.

On the other flank, Soviet player 2 retakes Objective1. The Germans take chits that reduce them to 16BR.

On the German turn they retake it! Thats two chits for Soviet Player 1 and his forces retreat from the field!

Turn 11

So its up to Soviet player 2 to win the game. They get bad luck as a chit rebounds and kills the engine of their ISU152, but not before the crew glance skyward....

To see an unfamiliar sight...

German airpower incoming! (this is an Me109 in Fockewulf clothing). It drops a tonne of bombs onto the ISU152 but only manages to pin the nearby Zis3 !

Turn 12 - Drowning in a Sea of Chit.

Thats quite a pile of chits! To be honest compare to my last game, the average has been ok. but its looking grim.

Objective White House is finally ripe for the taking...covered only by the Panzer IV.

So who is surprised when it pulls a Confusion chit and pins itself as the crew become increasingly perturbed by the lack of radio chatter. Where there were once fifteen infantry squads, it sounds like three are left...

Turn 13 - Persistance.

..make that two squads as the Mg team of Soviet Player 1's platoon finally succeed in routing the German Recce Squad target they have been shooting at since turn 1.

The chit is a 4. Ouch. Squeeky bum time for the Germans.

The heroic ISU152 that has broken down, and survived five bombs blows away another squad forcing another chit...

..and thats the Germans broken!!!

Germans rout, leaving Soviet Player 1 in possession of the field and the victory! He was on 2BR from a starting point of 30!!